With a Grain of Salt
by childoftheasylum
Summary: It's been only a year or so since Loki's war on New York. But a year is a long time. A very long time. And Mia has found he attack hard to forget. Now the Asgardian has returned to finish what he started and is planning on enlisting the help of Mia, whether she likes it or not.
1. Chapter 1: Involving Panic

It was the end of the world in New York again. This time, however, it was Mia Grayson who stood from Stark Tower, bringing hell. As the bodies below her gradually dropped, she could feel a strange sensation starting in the wrists of her clenched fists and traveling the length of her outstretched arms. The power was supposed to feel good. The force of life was flowing within her, yet she had never felt so weak in her life. She wasn't a person with immense power; she was a person being controlled by it. She stood there, mesmerized by her own power, watching her own city die slowly.

Mia woke suddenly to unfamiliar surroundings. Air entered her lungs in quick, shallow breaths. Her hair clung to the cold sweat on her chest and back. She exhaled strongly, as if trying to push the details of the nightmare out of her mind with that breath. It was the fourth time that week she'd had the recurring nightmare, however, and the details were difficult to erase. She attempted to keep her mind occupied by examining the area around her. She was in a highway overpass. She noticed suddenly that she was laying on hard concrete. There were puddles of rain around her in spots where the ground was not level. She sat up. Her back didn't particularly favor that action, and it scolded her by sending a sharp pain up her spine. She winced, but didn't make any noise. After running from SHIELD for weeks, hiding in strange places, and forgoing sleep and meals for long intervals, she had grown accustomed to the lack of comfort. She twisted her back slowly, leaving time for each individual crack to echo before turning a degree more. She turned and looked behind her in search of her bag. Nothing. She sighed and began crawling out of the small space she had hidden in. Of course her bag was gone. That's the kind of luck she seemed to be having lately. Her throat burned with thirst and all her remaining drinking water had been in that bag. She had to keep moving. Something had been happening to her recently that she struggled to control. People died because of her. Though it wasn't intentional, she couldn't help but feel the weight of guilt over her. Everything she had done was an accident. How all those people just instantly died... Mia shook her head and forced herself to focus. Dwelling on the past wasn't important. Walking was important. She used her powers to hurt people and SHIELD was after her. She looked at her surroundings. There weren't any lights for miles- a huge disappointment for her. Mia was parched. Maybe, with luck, there would be a house nearby with a hose outside.

After a few short seconds of walking, however, Mia began hearing noises behind her. She wanted to pause and look but resisted the urge and walked faster. The noises followed her, even growing louder with every step. By the time she had reached a full sprint, she could clearly hear someone running behind her. Of course, there was no need for whoever this was to be subtle. If she was running, she knew she was being followed. She took a moment to look behind her. She stopped. There was nothing there. The sprint she maintained slowed to a jog, then a walk. There was a brief pause before she simply stood there and laughed. Dehydration must have gotten the best of her, she supposed. She turned and continued in the direction she had been going, now walking instead of running. She still couldn't see any lights, but continued. Standing still wasn't an option, being as dehydrated as she was.

"Need this?" Her bag was held out to her from over her shoulder. She ripped the bag away from the hands that held it and turned. She cringed when she saw him. That monster who had destroyed half of her city in a matter of hours. She turned back and began to run but was held back. Within an instant, the strap of her bag had been moved from within her hands to around her neck. Loki's tight grip on her forearm was beginning to drain the sensation from her right hand.

"Let go of me," she said. The words were meant to sound fearless, intimidating even. But between the hoarseness in her throat and the panic in her heart, it only sounded like a shy whisper.

"Or what?" he said. Just the sound of his voice and that flippant comment had made her unbelievably angry. Still, she couldn't come up with an answer to his question. She settled on an angry growl.

"What do you even want?"

"In a word, Mia, vengeance." Never had the sound of her own name been so frightening. "And you, with your extraordinary gifts, are going to help me attain it." She felt so lost. She had no idea what he was planning on doing with her and yet he knew so much about her already. He resumed her fruitless struggle against the restraints. He tightened his hold on her and she fought back hot tears, not out of pain, but frustration. It felt as if he was surrounding her and trapping her. And if there was one thing that made her panic, it was feeling trapped. A familiar, hot, crawling sensation began under her skin.

"I'm not doing anything for you," she said, this time sounding a bit more firm. She was admittedly a little proud of herself.

"Should I let them find you then? Make all the running and hiding worthless?" More panic. She couldn't recall ever speaking a word about SHIELD to anyone. Why would she? She wanted to forget it herself. "I don't threaten you; I offer mercy. You and I know what the alternative could be." She paused and, despite her better judgement, entertained the thought. She was desperate. But torn, as well, unfortunately. The burning under her skin was becoming much more than uncomfortable. It was impossible to ignore. She clenched her fists, trying to shake the sensation from her arms. The burning exited her arms and manifested itself in the form of black smoke. Her captor released his hold on her and she took off, not wasting a moment on hesitation. Curiosity got the best of her, though, and she took a few looks behind her as she ran. He wasn't following her as she expected. He was just...standing there. As she continued checking behind her, she saw his dark features fade into the night. It confused her to no end. She really shouldn't have been getting away this easy. She wasn't curious- or stupid- enough to stop, though. The burning under her skin had built up again. She could actually feel blood traveling through her body. A strange feeling was growing within her. She quickened her pace and attempted to use the growing, new, power. She jumped and let the burning take control once more. The dark smoke returned, swallowing her, and ascending.

Mia tried relaxing in the airy state. She repeatedly told herself that she was safe. Loki was gone. She was probably hallucinating. She hadn't had anything to drink in a while. She had been having the nightmares more recently; this was probably just an extension of them. The lies were a temporary comfort, but in the back of her mind, she knew that's all they were. Lies. And if he had let her get away that easily, she knew it meant this was far from over.


	2. Chapter 2: Involving Pursuit

Mia continued her flight until she had reached civilization. Bright lights of cars and buildings dotted the horizon in front of her, and she eagerly flew towards it. The idea of being in such a crowded city with others watching her made her a bit uneasy, but the chance of a meal and water was too good to pass up simply out of fear. But if Loki had been serious...if he would really let SHIELD onto her trail... She shook the idea out of her mind and forced herself to focus. At a moment like that, she needed to push those thoughts out of her mind. They weren't helping her. As she began to calm herself, she noticed the smoke fading off, revealing flesh. The adrenaline was wearing off. One minute Mia was in the air; the next she was dropping quickly. She flailed hopelessly from the backpack that dropped from her sweat-drenched palms and landed in the darkness between two smaller shops. Momentum flung her into an alley and dropped her onto the pavement, her body knocking itself against brick wall as she landed. She once again tried to ignore the pain. It could have been worse. She forced her body up. She felt something warm slowly drip and crawl down the crevice of her back. She examined her hands. The warm red liquid on her back was pushing itself from wounds on her palms as well. She cursed silently. Not only would she not be able to blend in, she would be all too noticeable. A loud, almost painful moan from her stomach silenced the thought, however, and she walked out of the alley. Not only was she hungry, but she needed to find that bag.

Normally, she would've been bothered by the fact that she had just walked out of safety, she couldn't blend in, and she didn't have a plan. But her lack of food and water was making it hard to think straight. She began to search nearby alleys for her fallen bag, but was soon sidetracked. She wandered aimlessly for a while, mesmerized by the bright neon lights that seemed to hover above her. Those lights mixed with the sweet warm smell of food that floated down the street created an intoxicating feeling within her. She found herself following the warm aromas over to one of the small shops on the street. One minute she had her face pressed against the cool glass of a bakery, watching the golden bread intently; the next she found herself inside the building, hovering over one of the loaves and on the brink of salivating. A fog had formed around her vision. She didn't see the other people in the shop watching her, and she definitely didn't see the shopkeeper standing just a few feet in front of her.

"Do you need something, sweetheart?" Mia looked up. The woman stood in front of her with an expectant smile frozen on her face and her features portraying an emotion Mia couldn't quite decipher. Mia opened her mouth to speak and was instantly surprised at how difficult it was. Her jaw cracked as her mouth opened and she could feel her dry skin struggling to move with her bones. Her throat ached. There was no use even trying to speak. The woman tilted her head, smile still in place, and began ripping a piece from the loaf in front of her. She handed the piece to Mia, who accepted it eagerly, almost ripping it from the woman's hands. The bread piece was gone in an instant. The woman returned from the back with a cup of water, which Mia drank quickly before handing the cup back. She looked up at the woman and nodded in gratitude before turning to leave. She paused at the glass door. A frail, bloodied face stared back at her, wide eyed. She suddenly recognized the emotion she had seen on the woman's face: pity. Pity on a weak little girl that couldn't care for herself. She tore her eyes away from her reflection and walked out of the shop. She would need more food and water later on, but all Mia wanted now was a to clean up. A shower would be too much to ask for, but even a hotel bathroom would've sufficed for her.

She continued her walk down the streets, the fog of hunger now a tad thinner. She was in no way nursed back to health, but at least she could think straight. She knew she was looking for a hotel. After a few paces, she was once again distracted, this time, not by lights or smells, but sounds. Footsteps. Mia cursed quietly. Of course he was following her. She knew it wouldn't have been that easy.

"I thought we were done," she said, turning. The older, black clad man that stood in front of her cocked his head in curiosity.

"Done with what?" he asked.

"N- uh nothing," Mia said, fumbling with her words. "I thought you were someone else." She turned to continue walking, a bit slower this time, and noticed that his pace still matched hers. He was intentionally slow, just as she was. He was following. She tested her suspicion, turning onto a street to her right. He followed. The sound of footsteps wasn't close as it was before, but she could see a reflection of him in the distance through store windows. She turned another corner to put more distance between them. Before she could calculate her next step, she was pulled into the darkness of a closed store. She watched through the window as the man looked around for her.

"Are you going to thank me?" Loki's voice sent a powerful chill through her. Words failed her, but she found it easy to tremble. "You're hungry and parched, but you can't do anything about it until you get somewhere safe, can you?" She stepped into her field of vision and locked his emerald eyes with hers. "I'm willing to exchange my services with yours." She looked out the window. The man would come back. He would notice she was gone. She returned her eyes to Loki, who watched her expectantly. She nodded. She could beat herself up about it later, but, at the moment, she was dying of hunger and thirst. "Good." He took a step forward and ran a cool hand through her hair. She let her eyes close for a few brief seconds. She wasn't going to lie; it felt good. But in a short moment, her head had been slammed into the nearby table and her vision had gone black.


	3. Chapter 3: Involving Potential

An intense throbbing in Mia's forehead slowly awoke her. She was no longer sleepy. In fact, she had no idea how long she had been sleeping. She was, however, incredibly tired. Even while lying motionless, she felt a soreness and aching in her joints and a burning in her throat. She let her eyes crack open. An intense flood of white light burned her eyes. It was a hotel room. The blinds were opened, leaving room for sunlight to pour in and reflect the white blankets and sheets in which she was lying. The room itself was immaculate, as far as she could see, and the smell of food was strong. On recognizing the smell, Mia sat herself up, ignoring the increasing pressure in her head. She turned her head to the plate and pitcher sitting on the bedside table. Toast and water. Nothing special. Of course, she wouldn't have been able to handle a heavy meal anyway. At least it was food. She first took the pitcher and drank. She was thirsty more than anything else.

"Now are you going to thank me?" Mia heard Loki's voice from the corner of the room. She turned back. He looked as if he'd been sitting there for a while, she noticed. The fact that he'd been sitting there watching her sleep made her a bit uncomfortable, but she decided she'd ignore it and continued drinking. He raised an eyebrow. "Is that a 'no'?" She waited to finish the pitcher. Obviously she wasn't in any hurry to humor him by acknowledging him. She didn't want to be there, anyway.

"No; it's not," she said. She paused to wipe her mouth off and put the empty pitcher back. "Thank you." She held up a hand. "However. I'm not so sure about that favor you want me to do. I'll bet money I'm not going to like it."

"And I would bet you also wouldn't like being on the street. Or being chased. Or killed for that matter. The action certainly isn't beneath me." The uncomfortable sensation she had tried to ignore returned and brought with it a twinge of fear. That realization hadn't quite sunk in yet. He killed hundreds, maybe thousands? And all in less than a day. Snapping her neck right now wouldn't present much of a challenge, especially with her being near-death as it was.

"I get it," she said hoarsely.

"Do you really?" He stood and approached her. Mia's natural response was to jump up and run, but she managed to stay put. She didn't want to worsen the situation by making him angry. As if she had the strength to jump or run anyway. The throbbing in her head still hadn't stopped, and the panic that grew with each of his steps certainly wasn't improving the situation. He paused in front of her and let his hands ghost over the prominent collarbone her V-neck had exposed. Cold fingers trailed up and around her neck until they rested against the fragile cord of bone below her skull. Her posture stiffened. "I am a god, and you are a weak, dying mortal. Your life rests in my hands. If I so choose—" The pressure of his cold hands on her neck increased and Mia sucked in a breath and shifted her gaze upwards to the ceiling. "—I can end it. You need to keep in mind that you are _not _indispensable."

"I'm sorry; just let go," she said.

"Perhaps if you'd look me in the eyes and ask nicely," Loki responded. A second cold hand reached out and tilted her chin down until her eyes met his. She remained silent for a short while. Some expression hidden among his features had rendered her both motionless and speechless. "I can't seem to hear you."

"Please, Loki," she said slowly. "Please let go." He eased the pressure on her neck and let her fingers slide off her skin. She reached her own hand to the back of her neck and lightly rubbed the spine she found. She could still feel the chill of his hands on her and a soreness in her bones. Loki sat on the bed a few inches in front of her while she continued her attempts to relieve the soreness. "What do you need me to do?" she asked, finally.

"You have gifts," he began. "I've seen them. I don't mean last night. No, long before then. I even saw what you did to get those agents on your trail. How many people would you say you've killed?"

"I don't like to think about it," she admitted. "More than zero. That's all that matters to me."

"That's not what matters to SHIELD, though is it? You're a monster to them. You're abilities have turned you into an animal." Mia pursed her lips and took a heavy breath. "But I know how to make turn that curse into a powerful tool."

"Weapon, you mean," she corrected. "I've seen what you've done, too. I know where this is going."

"I mean to make full use of your gifts," he explained. He took her wrists in his hands and faced her palms upwards. Something strong suddenly rushed into her wrists. The power frightened her, and a cloud of smoke shot from her hands. Mia gasped. "Now, you kill sloppily. Unintentionally. And you've let innocent people die because of it." The feeling stemming from her wrists changed just as suddenly as it had appeared, and the black clouds condensed into a single, black, glowing flame. A crease formed between Mia's brows. "But I can help you change that."

"What's in it for you?" she asked, pulling her hands away. The flame disappeared. Loki leaned closer towards Mia and pulled her closer to him by the chin. He let his lips hover near her right ear before speaking.

"You're abilities are eating you alive, and they're taking others down with you," he stated. "Without me, you'll die, and you'll die a monster. You'll do exactly as I say. Then, I'll help you control that monster inside of you."


	4. Chapter 4: Involving Practice

A few short days later, the training would have to begin. Mia's soreness had worn off a bit, but there was still the slightest tension in her shoulders as she stood on the rooftop of the hotel where she still stayed. She found Loki waiting, standing on the building's ledge, illuminated by the lights of the city around both him and Mia. Before she realized it, she found herself walking towards him and taking her place beside him. She was careful not to get too close. She hadn't touched him since their previous conversation in the hotel room. Actually, they had managed to keep their paths separate for the most part. Now, however, the warmth of the lights seemed to draw her closer to him, as if it humanized him in a way. They stood like that for some minutes, not saying anything.

"Why do you hate us so much?" she suddenly questioned, breaking the silence. She looked up at him, seeming to search his eyes for an answer. The question had been sitting in her mind long before that day, but it still seemed to come out of nowhere.

"I'm sorry?"

"Humans," she explained. "You came down here and made it a point to scare us and destroyed half a city in the process. So why do you hate us?"

"I can see you tend to think in black-and-white," he said, smiling down at her condescendingly. "My actions weren't fueled by some sort of hatred against you all."

"So you did it because...?"

"Have you ever stopped and taken a good look at your modern society? You claim to be advanced, but are you really? I mean to rule, not destroy."

"How nice." Hard as she tried, she couldn't mask the sarcasm dripping from her words. "So what am I here for? I'm human, too."

"Every society is built on something. Conquering comes first; ruling follows." He turned and walked from the ledge. Something inside of her beckoned her to follow.

"I don't know how much help I'm going to be to you," she admitted. "Even if I get better at this...thing."

"Practice, then," he said, taking Mia's hands into his cold ones. "That is why you're here, is it not?" The chill of his palms began to travel up her skin and made her shiver. He paused and focused his eyes on hers.

"Practice what?" she asked. "You seem to know more about this than me. I don't even know what it is, I mean-" The images from her dreams crept back into her mind, flashing every time she made an attempt at speaking. The power was crawling in her blood. She was going to kill people. A lot of people. "I can't control it; I just know there's this...power. It just..happens. And then it just stops sometimes. I don't know when it's going to happen or when it suddenly goes away."

"It feels as though the power has you rather than you having the power." It should have been a question, but he stated it definitely, as if it were he who had Mia's strange gift.

"That's it exactly," she mouthed, mostly to herself.

"You need to learn control," he replied. Cold hands ghosted over her arms and rested on her shoulders and the logical part of her screamed silently within her. He took a step away from her. "Show me what you can do." She held a breath deep in her lungs and reached within herself for the burning sensation she'd felt before. The feeling that once seemed to threaten to burst from her skin now seemed distant, unattainable. Her body tensed. Clenched fingers drew crescents into her palms. "Having trouble?"

"I'm fine." It was a quick response, spoken forcefully, and was clearly meant to convince no one but herself.

"You don't believe that, and neither do I." She exhaled.

"It isn't working." That much was obvious. "I guess it's adrenaline, or something."

"Then you'll find a way to make it work." Yet another question spoken as a definite statement. He began to close the distance between them and, after her subsequent steps backwards, she found that her heels rested on nothing but air. His hands grabbed her neck suddenly. Her balance shaken, she tilted backwards. The only thing between Mia and a fall to her death was a five finger death grip. He brought his face closer, and Mia noticed a scent of spearmint.

"You're not going to drop me," she managed to choke out.

"Ooh- Is that a challenge?" His words came softly, and his grip on her weakened a bit.

"Wait," she breathed, grabbing onto his arm for support. The sound and sensation of Mia's heartbeat moved from her chest to her ears- warm and loud at the same time. The familiar sensation returned to her skin. Her breathing became elevated, and the same haze around her vision returned. She shut her eyes. She felt Loki's arm encircle her and pull her forward, off the edge. He let go of her neck, but she refused to open her eyes. She didn't need to. She could feel the smoke licking at her, wrapping itself around her.

"You're hiding from it," he noticed. She forced her eyes open. The black haze around her vision was thicker now, and, almost immediately, she could feel a headache approaching. "Now stop." She looked at him in incredulity, but began her attempt anyway. Slow, deep breaths gradually slowed her heart rate, and the blur faded from her vision. She offered a small smirk.

"How's that for control?" she said, still steading her breathing.

"Very poor, actually." The smirk dropped, and a look of exhaust took its place.


End file.
